Andrew V. and Chelsea C. were already engaged by the time they started their clinical care rotation in December 2020, but it was then, during one of their toughest moments, that their relationship became the strongest.

鈥淲e were pretty much-wounded soldiers stumbling through the end of a battlefield,鈥� Andrew said. 鈥淚t felt like the world was burning around us but being able to be there for each other, having that strong support system and believing each other when we said, 鈥榊ou can do this,鈥� made us keep going.鈥�

At the peak of the global pandemic and final exam season, Andrew and Chelsea experienced family losses within weeks of one another. Chelsea remembered grabbing sushi together and talking about the struggles they faced.

鈥淚t was one of those big signifying events,鈥� Andrew said. 鈥淲e can do this together, whether it鈥檚 school, our careers or family. I think in all the turmoil and terribleness it was an indicator that we got this, and we did.鈥�

The couple started dating two years before starting nursing school at 国产主播. Before they knew it, they were getting engaged in the middle of their public health rotation.

鈥淚n the beginning, I remember her telling me that a lot of couples don鈥檛 make it through nursing school,鈥� Andrew said. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e a team and sometimes you鈥檙e a cheerleader, sometimes you鈥檙e in charge. It was a lot of being a cheerleader for each other.鈥�

For Chelsea, she said she leaned on Andrew as a source of strength.

鈥淎s far as supporting each other, Andrew is the calm one,鈥� Chelsea said. 鈥淗e is very patient and he鈥檚 very good at explaining things.鈥�  

Chelsea had been working as a Certified Nursing Assistant since she was 19 years old. It was during their fundamentals rotation that she got to use her experience to help Andrew through his first time giving a bed bath.

鈥淎ndrew was worried to touch the patient and I thought it was cute to teach him something I know how to do and am good at it.鈥�

Yet they also realized early on that they each had different study habits and learned material differently. Like any team, Andrew said they each had unique roles to play.

鈥淲e would review and go over things together but, end of the day, you can鈥檛 take the test or do the practicals for each other,鈥� Andrew said. 鈥淛ust knowing that our studying habits were different helped us early on because we wouldn鈥檛 have been able to pass if we tried doing everything together.鈥�

After graduating, the couple got their first jobs together at a COVID-19 testing facility. Now they each work in the fields that best suit their skills and interests. Andrew, who is a nurse in an intensive care unit in Orange County, mentioned how his West Coast career advisor helped him both find the role and prepare for the interview.

鈥淚 wanted to educate, help and fix problems for people, and nursing has all those elements,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ometimes patients will be in the ICU for a while, so you get to learn about the patient and know what鈥檚 going on versus an ER where you are seeing them quickly and sending them out to the floor.鈥�

Chelsea said she took advantage of West Coast Career Services upon graduation. She now pre-ops patients and assists during endoscopies and colonoscopies in a gastroenterology lab in Anaheim.

鈥淐areer services really helped me prepare for my job interviews and helped with my resume,鈥� she said. 鈥淎ll my job offers I received, as soon as they saw I went to West Coast their initial impression was, 鈥榃e want you because West Coast produces really great nurses.鈥�

Looking back on their program, both Andrew and Chelsea said what they most valued is the West Coast community.

鈥淵ou meet so many people and you鈥檙e all going through the same thing,鈥� Andrew said. 鈥淒uring my job orientation, another girl who was training was a West Coast grad who graduated right before us. Since we both went to West Coast, I had someone who knew what I was going through. It鈥檚 the community.鈥�

Chelsea echoed the sentiment saying that she also takes special notice of other West Coast graduates.

鈥淚 am proud that we went to West Coast, but I think what is even better is you have that sense of community.鈥�

She described being a new grad and finding other West Coast nurses readily take her under their wing and help her succeed.

鈥淭hat鈥檚 what we do at West Coast,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hey want to see you succeed鈥� it鈥檚 one of the best things about going to West Coast.鈥�

As the couple plans their wedding and runs their Instagram account, @thatnursecouple, they said their goal is to continue gaining experience and pursue different routes in the nursing profession.

鈥淲e want to travel nurse and try out some other places in the country,鈥� Andrew said. 鈥淗aving different jobs in nursing we get to show how diverse it really is. She鈥檚 in an operating room and I am in a more traditional bedside setting.鈥�

Chelsea emphasized the many possibilities a nursing career offers.

鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have to do the traditional route,鈥� she said. 鈥淭hat鈥檚 the beauty of nursing and another reason both Andrew and I really like this field. We know there are so many different options with this career.鈥�

WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.